South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-05-06
TARPON FISHING.
How a Famous Florida Fish is
Caught with Shark Tackle.
A Prolonged and Severe Struggle with the
Gamiest of Finny konsterl

Mr.. Thomas B. Aston Of New York,
who has been recently yachting and fish
ing in Florida waters, was interviewed
by tho Indian River News about his ex
pcriencc with tarpon, the big fish Of the
land OF flowers.
after building my yacht" said Mr.
Aston, with the purpose in view Of Wis
ting the west coast OF Florida to indulge
in some lively sport in fishing which VIC
vnc informed could only be found in that
section, VIC changed our minds and in
duccd our friend Lieut.. Hem, to join
with us in trip TO the cast coast and
try some Of the lesser kinds of fish, such
as bass, trout, shcepshcad, snappers, Sc.
Imagine our surprise and incrcdulity
when told by the residents that the
famous tarpon was to be found in our
near vicinity, so we decided to investi-
gate. The first evening we went to the
west side of the river with our lines
hooks, smells, and other paraphernalia
to see what was to be seen. Our first
view Of the BEAUTIES wa, imm, diately
after moonrisc, when they were to be
seen leaping and Aging through the air,
gambolling and playing, their bright,
silvcry scales glisteniny in tho moon
light aff1rding a sccnc that bcggars
description. We undertook the task of
hooking few of them, and, after strug-
Cling for some time Intellectually. we
finally succeeded in bringing one of them
up to the side of the boat apparently ex-
haustcd; then the fun began in caraest.
The fish seemed to realise his critical
situation, and as we fai!ei to brin, a
lance or spear with which to pierce
him, we were at sea, as it were, with an
elephant on our hands and no means to
capture him.
1.-The next evening we were moro for
tunate. We supplied ourselves with the
largest and most powerful shark hooks.
made smells eighteen inches to two feet
in length of quadruplc twisted wire to
prevent the monsters jaws from getting
away with our hooks and tackle. With
heavy lances with which to pierce the
fish should we catch one, we once more
rcsortcd to the scene OF action. We had
learned two lcssons-that the tackle used
to catch the west coast tarpon was abso-
lutely insufficient and had to be SUBJ
stitutcd by the most powerful shark
tackle, and that the p. oper time to angle
was by moonlight. when they come in
the inlets and cuts to feed on the smaller
fish that abound in these places at those
times. The scene that pre-
sented itself on our arrival
was one Of most exciting interest.
Here, there, and on all sides of us were
TO be seen leaping and flashing in the
moonlight the glistcning forms of these
graceful and fearless creatures. As We
would cast out our lines baitcd with
mullet they would be seized almost i'm
mcdiatcly, and ere we could tighten our
grasp the fish would dart to this side or
that. One moment the line would be
entirely limp and apparently empty
when, swish, over to the right of you
would leap a monster eight to ten feet in
the air, shaking his wonderfully formed
head, and nine times out of ten the hook
would 60 spinning several feet away. A
strange feature of the fi,h's pranks was
his attempt to grab the hook after
throwing it from his mouth, sometimes
catching 1t before it struck the water.
THUS the sport continued, ever
watchfui lest the line became entangled
in the least with any part of the body,
Tor in chat case, were the fish to take n
course from the boat, tho unfortunate
would run great risk of being drawn
overheard or being badly lacerated. The
wonderful power possessed by these dem
liens of the sea may be judged from the
fact that in the capture Of hundred
FOUNDER the boat containing myself and
assistant was drawn back and forth over
a distance OF two miles or more. This
means b ing employed to wear cut the
strength of the fish, it is at last drawn
up 10 distance that will allow an assist
ant tospenr him, and even then it requires
considerable skill to land him in the
boat while undergoing his last efforts
and struggles. Lucky is he who sue
cceds in getting one of these varieties,
for Of all gamy fish this is considered by
seamcn the most difficult TO capture"